help! do they make 449 and 511 just to confuse people?

[YOGAVNTURE]

im driving from iowa to Minnesota heinens in a day or two to buy a te449 or te511......the 449 is 600 bucks cheaper..............I ride exclusively on gravel roads and on interstate highway to town to get small groceries...........
I understand the 511 has a bit more horsepower...........but.........if I took the 600 bucks in my pocket on the 449 couldn't I buy a slip on pipe, better air filter or something and it would perform better than the 511 stock model??????????? note. im leaning just paying the extra money. buying the 511 and putting a fmf power core pipe on it (partly cause it looks better than the stock one) and be done with it.........im not a racer I don't need purple bolts on the thing.....

 

[Micfasto]

You think of the money once when you spend it but you think of the ride every time you throw a leg over it. I the big picture $600 should not be a deal breaker, get which ever one you want. You will put a pipe on either one anyway so If you are thinking of the 511 you should do it.

 

[7point62]

I think it's a very interesting question and making two bikes that are identical apart from displacement does suggest more inventory to carry for very few extra sales. It also means that the smaller capacity bike is probably over - engineered (nice to have, but it eats into performance margins on a competition bike). A more sensible business model might be a no-compromise competition bike of smaller capacity, with the missing torque compensaed for by weight saving, pukka suspension, decent setup from the factory and whatnot. The larger bike might be more for the non-superman rider, with a broader spread of power, wider gearing, a bit more fuel capacity, mebbe 20mm less suspension to make it more manageable and such. Less modular means more expensive, but it would mean more performance, better focussed product and more sales (if done properly!) If our buyer of the race bike wants ultimate power we could always sell 'em a high displacement race kit.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[Russ]

I ride exclusively on gravel roads and on interstate highway to town to get small groceries........

I'm not sure either bike is the best choice for this type of riding. They are primarily designed for hard offroad use, with few compromises for onroad - usually just enough add-ons to pass registration requirements. They also have relatively short service intervals compared with road/trail type bikes such as the TE630 and TR650.

The most important thing is a frank appraisal of the type of riding you will do most of the time, then buy a bike primarily designed for that.

 

[troy deck]

yep id say TE630 orTR650

 

[OlderHuskyRider]

im driving from iowa to Minnesota heinens in a day or two to buy a te449 or te511......the 449 is 600 bucks cheaper..............I ride exclusively on gravel roads and on interstate highway to town to get small groceries...........
I understand the 511 has a bit more horsepower...........but.........if I took the 600 bucks in my pocket on the 449 couldn't I buy a slip on pipe, better air filter or something and it would perform better than the 511 stock model??????????? note. im leaning just paying the extra money. buying the 511 and putting a fmf power core pipe on it (partly cause it looks better than the stock one) and be done with it.........im not a racer I don't need purple bolts on the thing.....

It makes even less sense when you see that the difference is 30cc: 449cc versus 479cc

$600 divided by 30cc = $20 per cc for 30 extra cc's

 

[oregonsage]

I own one of each when both sizes were offered in a TXC, bought the 511 first because why not...better race suspension and exhaust and only a little more money. Then I bought a TXC449 when there was a clearance sale and used the saving to outfit it for dualsport use. If I didnt have them to ride back to back it would be hard to tell the difference, but the 511 does offer enough more torque to notice.

That said, I agree with those who say that a TR650 is probably a better fit. If you get a 449/511 you will probably want to gear it up a bit and add a comfier seat (Seat Concepts does a pretty good job for a good value)

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

thanks for all the response. I own a 06 te610 right now. note. I got into a small accident overseas on a motorbike and im in my 50's........note. when u get to be my age , even a small accident can cause long term pain,,,,,,,,i considered the terra...........but bottom line is i want a light agile bike......very light and agile......in case a car or dog pops in front of me.......we have tons of deer in iowa.....tons.....and my logic is that a nimble te511 will get around a bolting deer better than a heavy terra......if I go down Id rather go down on a 250 lb. bike versus a terra whatever the weight of it is. (350 I guess). yes the terra will function on the road better....but on gravel roads I know the te511 will be better.........IT ONLY TAKES ONE ACCIDENT TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE........so be on the most nimble thing u can be on......I don't care if my butt hurts on the 511..........versus the terra.........better to have a hurt butt versus no butt at all!

 

[Josh Feller]

I think you will be happy on the 511, I ride mine to work every day rain or shine. but read the breather mod problem, it is a problem especially during break in lots of oil all over your boot

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

thanks for responses. now im pissed again. thier is a guy on ebay right now selling a demo te449 with all the upgrades on florida. i live in iowa and its just too far to shop for that bike........bottom line is I wanted a new bike not a demo with potential problems.......beyond that............I bought a fmf power core 4 slip on.......(partly cause it looks a lot better than stock unit.)......well, dealer put it on, and now the bike wont start............crud.......its a new bike**************************************************************************************************************************************************************** I mean it will start but it wants to die out........I am going to call fmf tomorrow and bitch.........I was hoping I could just put a slip on and the bikes computer would notice it and adjust........now i have to spend 400 bucks more for the power commander and labor is another 100..........that's crud......im not a racer..........i think I might just return the power core 4 slip on and be done with it...........I do like the way the bike looks........looks lightweight.............but no key????????????whats up with that...........no ignition key........only a steering lock thing.........if the bike got stolen I wonder if my insurance would cover it.? with no ignition key. on the other hand I like the fact they are trying to keep weight down...........or should I say costs?
any body got any suggestion for my power core 4 slip on .......on my new te511.......It does run, but it wants to die out...........service manager at dealer said give it a few weeks to try before I do anything the said that maybe the bike will adjust to it over time........I dont want to pay for a new pipe and the power commander............maybe their is something else i can do to get bike to adjust to new pipe? I don't think I will do anymore upgrades...........im not a racer and i dont need the best

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

I think you will be happy on the 511, I ride mine to work every day rain or shine. but read the breather mod problem, it is a problem especially during break in lots of oil all over your boot

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

thanks for response......I got my bike from dealer in Minnesota......6400 bucks......new te511. dealer put on new fmf slip on power core 4 and it runs like crud.......so tinken i think his name here suggested I get a black power up pin .........I am doing that........its part number 8000 h 5440..........I have no clue what the power up pin does......but husky usa recommended it as well.....maybe if I do that I wont need to buy a power commander????????????